292 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



insist on the same respect being shown to Europeans. 

 We were prepared to be sympathetic over their 

 drudgery, but all such feeling turned to annoyance 

 when we found how deeply they lied to us as to 

 the distances we had to traverse between village 

 and village. The maps being so incorrect we had to 

 make these inquiries, for the carriers always started 

 ahead or they would never have arrived, and it was, 

 of course, necessary to name a place for them to go 

 to. However early they started, we had to wait for 

 hours before the more dilatory brought in their 

 loads, and once a bed failed to appear until the 

 morning. 



On one occasion we had to camp in the town 

 itself, for we had come in very late, and it was too 

 dark to set forth again to pitch our tents away 

 from the noise and smell. A native compound 

 was put at our disposal, and in walking about 

 an inner yard Lamy disappeared. The boys ran to 

 tell us that the little cub had fallen down a well, 

 and horrified we rushed to the brink to ascertain 

 his fate. He was quiet, but when Mr Talbot called 

 down to him he answered back, and each time we 

 spoke he replied. It was evident, therefore, that the 

 water was not deep enough to drown him, though he 

 might be badly hurt. Kusseri meanwhile was wander- 

 ing to and fro in terrible agitation, and we had to tie 

 him up lest he might spring down to his brother. Aji 

 volunteered to descend to the rescue, and he was 

 lowered down in a basket : poor little Lamy scrambled 

 against him and climbed up him and, in the process, 

 tore his clothes to pieces, but Aji got him out absolutely 

 sound and well. He was frightened, and annoyed, and 



